Ingredients

Dough
• 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1¼ cups warm water
• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
• 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons table salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon butter, melted, divided
Baking soda bath
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
Topping
• 1-2 teaspoons coarse salt

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside to allow yeast to grow.
2. In a large mixing bowl place powdered sugar, flour and table salt. Stir to combine.
3. Add yeast mixture, oil, and butter to flour mixture. Beat with electric mixer for 10 minutes on low.
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set in warm place to rise for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven at 425 degrees.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Set pans near clean surface that will be work space to shape pretzels.
7. Spray clean surface with cooking spray to create work space.
8. Gently dump dough onto surface.
9. Do not punch dough down. Do not cut into 12 pieces all at the same time. Guesstimate a one-twelfth segment and slice it off with a pizza cutter. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray then lay it over the dough. Lift off plastic wrap each time you cut off one-twelfth segment.
10. Shaping one pretzel at a time, roll one segment into a long, thin log. Then double it over itself to be half as long and roll out thin again to about 18 inches.
11. Pick up roll by ends and twist twice laying the bottom loop onto the work surface and laying the twisted ends over the loop so the shape looks approximately like a soft pretzel.
12. In a frying pan over very low heat, combine 2 cups water and baking soda. Warm baking soda bath for 2-3 minutes without letting it boil. Turn off heat. Put frying pan on a silicone pot holder next to the work surface where you are shaping the pretzels.
13. Place a dishtowel in between the parchment paper lined baking sheet and the frying pan with the baking soda bath.
14. Working from the side of the frying pan, dip both sides of each pretzel as you shape it into the baking soda bath.
15. Quickly dredge any dripping water onto the dishtowel but do not let the pretzel sit on the dishtowel or it will stick to it.
16. Place pretzel on to parchment paper lined baking sheet with an inch in between each pretzel. Put coarse salt into the palm of one hand and using the other hand, pinch small amounts of salt to sprinkle on each pretzel.
17. Bake immediately for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto a cooling rack with waxed paper underneath it.
18. Brush remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter onto each pretzel. Let pretzels stand for 2-3 minutes so the butter is absorbed.